


Happy Birthday Kakashi!

by hkandi



Series: Iruka and Kakashi Birthday Stories [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alcohol as a buffer..., Birthday, Complete, Iruka is an organized person, M/M, Onsen fun, Splash splash, Tacky mugs are great gifts, This is a weird mission....right?, birthday plans, fun with clones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2020-10-17 11:48:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20620532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hkandi/pseuds/hkandi
Summary: Kakashi has some great friends. For his birthday they get him an extended weekend at an upscale onsen. And they even hire him an academy chuunin sensei for it. Wait, what?Or, it’s Kakashi’s birthday, and Iruka has a mission. Literally.





	1. Part One

(I don't own any characters etc etc)

Kakashi had received a message several weeks ago informing him that he had the weekend of his birthday off, and that a private room at an onsen several villages away had been reserved for him, all expenses paid.

His friends spoiled him sometimes.

Or, worried about him. 

Still, he generally didn’t like to do anything for his birthday and preferred to be alone, so why not be alone somewhere fun and free?

And so, he had packed accordingly and was ready to leave two days before his birthday. First, a stop at the Memorial Stone, naturally. He received well wishes from his friends and loved ones there, and expressed how much he wished they were there in person with him today and on his birthday. Well, most of them. Some were jerks on his birthday.

Then, he pulled his pack on and left Konoha. His friends had been thoughtful enough to get him the room for an extended weekend, beginning Thursday afternoon and with a late check-out on Sunday, so that he could enjoy the time there. 

He was at the onsen fairly quickly due to keeping to the trees and his natural speed, and in his room before he knew it. 

It was a large room, his friends were truly generous. There was an extremely large, plush bed in the room, and next to that a small sitting area. A bathroom was off the main room, and doors opened to a private outside area with high wooden walls, which surrounded an in-ground bath. He took off his gloves and dipped a hand in. It was a nice temperature, but he decided to wait to go in.

Instead, he toed off his sandals, poured some tea, and sat to meditate. Well, after setting up a number of wards, barriers, and the occasional seal, for privacy, alarms, etc.

Then he spent the rest of the day relaxing for the first time in a long time. He sat in the bath, his head laying on a plush towel on the edge, a bandana covering the lower half of his face, and stared at the sky, his mind busy reflecting and drifting. 

He thoroughly enjoyed dinner and had requested extra servings of beef, summoning his pack to enjoy the food and the room. And maybe, for some extra night security. But hey, everyone had fun!

This was going to be a good weekend, he thought. He still had two full days plus Sunday. He mused about going missing-nin and just living here, until he drifted to a deep sleep that night.

_____________

The next morning he woke late, having nowhere to be, and had a leisurely late breakfast before spending time stretching and loosening up, thinking about what he should do with the rest of his day.

It was not long before there was a noise at the door. A slight knocking, and when he didn’t answer, hoping the person would go away, he was surprised admittedly to hear the lock turn and the door slowly open.

He was up in a flash, kunai pulled out from his pack.

“I did knock!” the person said, and Kakashi felt a familiar chakra.

He peered around the door, which he had braced himself against.

“Sensei?” he asked, opening the door and lowering his kunai. “What is it? Do they need me back in Konoha?” Just my luck, he grumbled to himself.

He was confused as he took in the young man who had stepped in his room, still dressed in shinobi gear…and with a pack on his back?

“No, Kakashi-sama, you’re fine,” Iruka said, fidgeting slightly. “I’m actually here on a….mission.”

Kakashi didn’t respond at first. “A….mission?”

“I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to,” Iruka said haughtily. “They said so.”

“Who said so?” Kakashi was just so very confused.

Iruka blushed and reached into his vest, pulling out a scroll.

“A-rank mission. It says, and I quote, ‘we know you’re just going to stay in and get room service, so we thought we’d make it a little sweeter. Consider Iruka your’….” Iruka paused and blushed. “ ‘Manservant for 48 hours.’ “ He paused again. “It’s about ten o’clock now, I have to be here until at least ten on Sunday morning to complete my mission.”

Kakashi took the scroll and looked it over. “Actually A-rank? And the Sandaime approved it?”

Iruka frowned slightly. “It seems the people requesting it paid full price, and he found it rather…endearing….so, here I am.”

Iruka put his pack down near the bed and looked around, before looking back at Kakashi. 

“I know this is a bit unorthodox, and we don’t really know each other. But…I could use the mission rank, and the money. And I know it’s your birthday, so I’ll stay out of your hair, really. I’ll be quiet, and I’ll run out and get you anything you want. Lunch, dinner, drinks. It’s all paid for already, but you won’t even have to leave this room for it.”

He looked at the older man with a hopeful look. Kakashi cursed the fact that he can never resist adorable puppy eyes.

Kakashi sighed, glad he had put on his mask and not just the bandana yet today. He was also quite glad his mask covered his face, which was growing warm suddenly. “Fine, do what you want. It’s all the same to me.”

Iruka smiled. “Thank you, Kakashi-sama. And here,” he reached into his pack and pulled out a small wrapped item. “Happy birthday! I didn’t want to come empty handed.”

Kakashi accepted the gift and watched Iruka as he opened it, before giving him a closed-eyed smile.

“Icha Icha Birthday? How did you know?”

Iruka laughed but rolled his eyes. “How did I know to get the pervert who reads porn in public porn for his birthday?” He tapped his chin with a finger. “Hmm, I just don’t know!”

Kakashi laughed but leered at him. “And if I wanted my manservant to partake in it too? Or act it out?”

Iruka coughed and blushed. “I can say no to anything I really don’t want to do if it’s overstepping. I think your friends expect you to be a proper gentleman though.”

“Ha, then they aren’t really my friends. We’ll see what we have you do, sensei. Until then, relax.”


	2. Chapter 2: Part Two

(I don't own any characters etc etc)

And so, the day was quiet. Iruka went to the bathroom and changed out of his uniform into looser, more casual clothes.

Both men read in different parts of the room, Kakashi on the bed, Iruka out near the bath in the shade.

At noon, Iruka left and came back with lunch and a fresh pot of tea, and he sat on the floor near the bed to eat, so Kakashi could be in the sitting area with more privacy. Kakashi was impressed that Iruka hadn’t even asked about it, just sat there anyway.

Kakashi dug through his bag to finally change out of the clothes he had worn for stretching while Iruka cleaned up from lunch, preparing to set the tray outside the door for it to be picked up. He was just turning back into the room when he saw Kakashi changing

He had already changed his pants, which were sat low on his hips, and was shirtless. Iruka drank in his pale skin, multiple scars, and taut body, noticing that Kakashi did not have a mask on and he could see the man’s neck. Well, back of it. And what a fine neck it was.

Kakashi drew on a sleeveless ANBU shirt that fit him perfectly, and pulled up the attached mask before setting his pack back on the ground. Iruka passed him to retrieve his book again, and Kakashi wondered why the man was quite red in the face. And ears. And neck…

“Kakashi-sama,” Iruka began.

“Just Kakashi.” 

“Er…Kakashi, I’m sorry if you have to wear the mask all weekend. I’ll sit here to read if you’d like the bed, and you don’t have to wear it if you don’t want to?”

“I appreciate it, but it’s not a problem. Still, I’ll take the bed for now though.”

Iruka settled into a comfortable chair in the sitting area and began to read before a thought hit him. There was just the one bed in the room. Albeit, a very large one. Would he have to sleep next to…near…the copy nin? Would the other man even sleep, or would he treat it like a mission and stay awake and vigilant? That wouldn’t do for his birthday at all, no sir. Iruka would have to figure something out.

He half-read and half-thought about it for the next hour, not noticing that Kakashi had in fact fallen asleep for a nap. Iruka closed his book and decided to finally use the bath, and turned to the bed to ask if Kakashi wanted to go into it, or if he could. He smiled softly noticing the man’s visible eye was closed and the book was open on his chest, face-down fortunately.

Iruka got up silently and went to the bathroom to change and rinse off, crossing the room in only a towel draped around his waist.

Kakashi woke as he was moving through the room, and saw dark skin and dark hair, lots of broad muscles, and a large scar on a back. He hummed softly to himself enjoying the view before Iruka stepped outside out of view, and Kakashi fell back asleep.

________________

He woke and saw it was still quite light out, figuring he had not been asleep for long. He glanced around and saw the room was empty, but that the door to the outside was open, and sat up.

After a long stretch and an equally long yawn, he stood and had some water, carrying the glass to the open doorway to ask the younger man about what they should do for dinner, scratching the back of his head with his free hand.

He almost dropped the glass.

Iruka was sat in the bath, seemingly very relaxed. The sun shone on his darker skin and slightly damp hair, and his eyes were closed. He seemed content, at peace.

That, however, was not all that caught Kakashi’s attention.

It was the other Iruka that did him in.

Iruka, it seemed, found clones quite useful. Such as using one to give yourself a shoulder rub while in a bath.

Two Irukas. Two attractive Irukas. One bath. One Kakashi. 

His mind started to whir and he lifted his forehead protector to use his Sharingan to record the scene in front of him. 

While he was the great copy nin and thought he had been extra silent, Iruka number 2 looked up and caught his eye. Or rather, eyes.

That Iruka did not pause in his actions on the other Iruka, and Kakashi assumed that the Iruka in the bath was the real one, given that the other was in full uniform, well, minus the vest. And why would Iruka give a clone a massage?

Though, the thought of that made his head spin even more…

Kakashi was even more surprised when Iruka number 2…clone-Iruka…cocked its head and winked at him, causing Kakashi to feel a blush rise slightly. Clone-Iruka just continued and returned its attention to real-Iruka, putting a coy look on its face. The clone continued to massage Iruka’s shoulders, but paused after a moment.

“It’s getting a bit hot out here,” clone-Iruka commented, and removed his hands from real-Iruka, who hummed softly. Kakashi watched as clone-Iruka kneeled and slowly took his shirt off, folding it carefully and putting it aside, before stretching and cocking his head from side to side to stretch his neck. Kakashi wondered how alike the Irukas were physically, as clone-Iruka was a fine physical specimen. If he was like real-Iruka, the academy teacher definitely kept up with his training, Kakashi noted approvingly.

Clone-Iruka seemed to shoot him a quick glance before returning to massaging real-Iruka’s upper body, drawing his arms out of the water to rub them. His piece de resistance appeared to be massaging real-Iruka’s scalp, causing small moans to leave the younger man’s mouth.

Kakashi was only too glad to have his Sharingan out, but this was getting too intense, even for him.

When clone-Iruka took his own hair out of the ponytail, Kakashi turned and walked away before he embarrassed himself. He needed something to calm his mind…a cold shower? No, too obvious. Spying some sake he poured himself a drink and then another, before pausing to think about what just happened.

He had never really thought of Iruka like that, had he? Was there a particular reason his friends picked him for Kakashi’s birthday? Sure, he enjoyed riling the man up at his different jobs, and he liked a good banter over ramen with Naruto, and yes maybe he had checked him out once or twice, but still….

And if clone-Iruka was making a show of getting and holding his attention, didn’t that mean something was also true for real-Iruka?

He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, which sprung back to its irregular height immediately after.

This was some birthday, he mused.

Outside, he missed clone-Iruka smiling to himself.

______________

Not long after, he was lounging in the chair with his book in front of him, reading but not reading, when he heard the soft tell-tale pop of a clone disappearing, followed by a groan from Iruka. Kakashi smiled to himself as he heard Iruka grumble. Clearly, the clone’s memories were returning to him, which meant he knew that Iruka knew Kakashi had watched him and his clone….Kakashi sighed and his smile left his face. How would Iruka act?

He kept his eye on his book as Iruka walked in, towel around his waist….no, pulled up higher now….and into the bathroom to change. He came out quite covered up, but still in civilian clothing, toweling his hair.

Iruka coughed and cleared his throat, and Kakashi lazily looked up. 

He enjoyed the blush that dusted Iruka’s cheeks, framed by his damp hair.

“Umm, I should go tell the kitchen what we want for dinner, so we’re not starving later. Any thoughts?”

Kakashi shrugged but considered it. “I could go for some sushi, maybe some extra rice. And a good amount of alcohol. It’s a Friday night, let’s have some fun tonight.”

Iruka’s blush deepened but he didn’t argue, and left. When he came back, he was surprised to see Kakashi laying on his stomach on the bed, feet up, reading. It was a rather endearing sight, and Iruka was surprised to think about how cute the man looked.

Cute? Kakashi? The copy nin? No, no, no, he told himself, those thoughts would not do! He still had most of the weekend to spend with the man, and who knows what the sleeping situation would be.

That reminded him….

“I should go talk to the front desk and ask for a futon to be brought in,” Iruka said, turning to leave.

“Why?” he heard from behind him. He closed his eyes for a moment then opened them and turned around. Kakashi was in the same position, now his head propped up on one hand. Too cute, Iruka’s brain sang to him.

“Uh…well….” Iruka said, with all the grace he could muster in this situation, which wasn’t much. He gestured to the room. “One bed, two of us…we need more space to sleep.”

Kakashi looked around. “It’s a pretty big bed, we’ve probably shared worse on missions with other people.” He turned his attention back to his book. “If this is your way of trying to tell me you’re a cuddler, sensei, I suppose I accept.”

Iruka sputtered in anger, and embarrassment. He wasn’t sure which was the stronger emotion. “What? I didn’t say! That’s not what I meant!” He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. 

“This is your birthday, Kakashi, don’t you want to be comfortable?”

The older man shrugged. “I’m sure I will. You worry too much, sensei.”

“I train pre-genin, it’s literally my job to worry,” Iruka said as he crossed the room and flopped into a chair.

“Exactly,” Kakashi said, still reading. “But right now, this weekend, your job is to take care of me, isn’t it?” Iruka didn’t dignify it with a response. “So don’t worry about it.” Kakashi paused.

“Your clone didn’t seem worried earlier,” he mumbled.

“What was that?” Iruka said, sitting up straight, mortified.

“What? I didn’t say anything.”

Iruka sighed and flopped back, staring at the ceiling.

“Naughty clone,” he murmured to himself, and Kakashi smiled into his mask.

___________________

The night was uneventful, in some ways. They ate dinner, drank, drank, and drank some more. Both men were pleasantly buzzed. They talked, learned more about the other, traded mission stories.

Pleasantly buzzed turned into lightly drunk, and they went from sitting across from each other at a low table to sitting closer to each other, Kakashi at the long side of the table and Iruka at the short side near him. Before either knew it, Iruka was grabbing Kakashi’s arm and begging for him to summon a ninken.

“A fuzzy one, a soft warm furry one!” Iruka requested.

Kakashi laughed. “They’re ninken, I don’t know any of them are fuzzy?”

“Oh, but you must have a super cuddly furry one?”

“They fight, they don’t cuddle,” Kakashi said, moving the bandana on his face slightly to drink.

Iruka pouted, and Kakashi felt his insides melt, but that was surely just because of the alcohol, right?

“Oh come on,” Iruka said, moving to paw at Kakashi’s shirt, making him laugh.

“What are you looking for?”

“The summoning scroll? Something to use, so I can do it?”

Kakashi laughed again. “You really want a dog?” Iruka nodded, and Kakashi fake-sighed. He bit his thumb and moved his hands fast, and Pakkun appeared on his lap.

“Yeah boss?”

Iruka scrunched his face up in frustration, and Kakashi laughed as he scratched Pakkun’s head.

Still, Iruka was nothing if not polite. Even if drunk, even if frustrated.

“Pakkun-san! Welcome!” Iruka unsteadily bowed his head, and the dog looked at him, then back at Kakashi, with raised eyebrows.

“Iruka wants a fuzzy ninken, do you know who would be good?”

“Not me?” Pakkun asked.

Iruka leaned over. “Do you cuddle?”

“Eh, sometimes, but I’m probably not what you want right now, sensei,” the pug replied. He motioned to Kakashi with a paw. “What about him? He’s gangly but cuddly.”

Kakashi put a hand over his own face and Iruka’s eyes widened.

“Really?” 

“Really.”

“Anyway,” Kakashi interrupted. “Ninken, furry, cuddly. Ideas?”

Pakkun seemed to think about it. “Bisuke gets a lot of attention, what about Guruko?”

Kakashi paused to also think about it and shrugged. “Sure, why not?” A few hand seals later and Guruko appeared, and Iruka clapped his hands in joy.

“What did I come into?” the new dog asked.

“Iruka wanted a new friend,” Kakashi said, and looked at the younger man, who put his hands palms out towards the new guest. Guruko looked between the men and Pakkun, who shrugged, and then shrugged himself, before trotting over and sniffing the sensei and headbutting his hands.

Iruka laughed and laid down with Guruko, who tried to initially fight how happy he was for belly rubs, before giving in.

Kakashi looked at the sensei spooning one of his ninken, who was twitching his leg as Iruka found a good spot, and looked down at the pug in his lap, who was focused on cleaning a paw.

This was definitely turning into an interesting birthday.


	3. Chapter Three: Part Three

(I don't own any characters etc etc)

Iruka woke on Saturday to find himself in bed with a dog breathing in his face. He looked and saw the frowning face of Pakkun, with admittedly a slightly smaller frown now that he was sleeping. Iruka looked further down the bed and saw Guruko, lying facing away from him. He lifted his head slightly over the dogs and saw a shock of grey hair on the other side of the bed, and was grateful the bed was large enough for them all to be on it comfortably.

Iruka rose and showered, reflecting on the night before. He had had a surprisingly fun night, having not been sure how it would go with Kakashi. The dogs had been a pleasant surprise, even if Iruka remembered begging for them. How embarrassing!

But, they had played a rather important role after all. He remembered Kakashi unexpectedly falling asleep first and Iruka talking to Pakkun and Guruko about him and his birthday, learning some likes and dislikes of the other man, and that they had decided to throw him a small in-room party. The dogs had promised to bring the other ninken.

Iruka realized he had much planning to do, and turned the shower off. He quietly got dressed, checked he looked presentable, and left the room. Kakashi turned over in his sleep but paid it no mind.

Kakashi did, however, wake to Iruka returning with breakfast. Unbeknownst to him, Iruka had also taken the first steps towards the party after speaking to the kitchen.

As they were relaxing during the day, Iruka broke the silence.

“Why did your friends hire me?”

Kakashi looked up from his book and scratched his masked chin. “I don’t know. They sometimes think I’m lonely, or too lonely, perhaps.”

Iruka frowned slightly. “But, why me?”

Kakashi shrugged. “You’re one of the nicer people in the village, and perhaps they wanted someone who could definitely put up with me.” Iruka blushed, but didn’t respond, and Kakashi turned back to his book.

After lunch, Iruka left for a bit, claiming he should give the other man some space.

“I’m here til tomorrow, but I don’t think they intend for me to be glued to your side,” he said. Kakashi waggled his visible eyebrow at him and Iruka laughed as he left.

“I’ll see you at dinner,” he said.

Kakashi went outside and laid on the soft grass, stretching out before putting his hands behind his head, laying on his back, staring at the clouds and soft whisper of the wards he had put up. Last night had been nice, he mused to himself. Iruka, the dogs, pleasant conversation. He laughed thinking of how easy it had been to make Iruka happy, just some food and a furry dog. Kakashi was surprised at how fast the dogs had taken to Iruka, and found it also made him happy.

Why had his friends picked Iruka? he thought to himself. As he had said earlier, the man was nice, and definitely put up with Kakashi. How many times had he yelled at Kakashi in the missions office over the dismal presentation of his scrolls? And sure, maybe Kakashi had commented from time to time on how lovely the angry shade of red was on Iruka, which sometimes made the other man turn a different shade of red when he blushed.

Kakashi yawned and stretched again, feeling drowsy in the pleasant warmth of the day. He could just barely recall a night out with some friends, possibly Genma and Gai, and that the conversation turned to who in the village they’d want to spend a night with, no strings. Naturally, Gai had made declarations of the beauty of youthful love and that it could not be limited to one night, before later admitting he had the hots for a shopkeeper’s daughter a village away. Genma, being Genma, had a list the length of his arm of who he’d want, male or female, and proceeded to tell them at length of what he’d do to and with each. It was all the more embarrassing because quite a few of them were present at the bar they were at!

Kakashi had hoped after Genma’s antics they’d forget he hadn’t shared, but his friends were nothing if not attentive, even while drunk. Stupid shinobi. They’d pestered him and he’d tried to avoid it, so they’d taken it upon themselves to call out names and suggest people. Anko had been a big no. Kurenai was taken, duh. Kakashi had suggested Raidou just to get a rise out of Genma. Then some academy teachers had come in and they picked them apart, male or female, before Gai and Genma settled on Iruka for him. He couldn’t remember what had been discussed beyond that, only that Gai had begun to cry manly tears and Kakashi had bought a new bottle of sake for them to try to drown it out, and Genma had spouted off the vulgar details of what he thought Iruka would use Kakashi for.

Kakashi had used rather aggressive means to question Genma briefly to check that he was not talking from experience. He would not even fictionally pursue someone he knew to be a conquest of Genma’s.

Iruka was fair game.

Fictionally, of course.

Kakashi shook his head. That was a few months ago and hadn’t thought about it, but it seems his friends had. Stupid shinobi, again, and their stupid good recall even while drinking.

He thought about the previous night, though, and figured he’d have to thank his friends when this was over.

________________

Iruka arrived back a little before what Kakashi assumed was a normal dinner time, not focusing on those things when he was in the village. Or on a mission. Or at all really, unless someone told him a time to arrive somewhere. And even he may be late….

He entered the room and placed a small brown paper bag down as he toed off his sandals, looking around for Kakashi. He poked his head out to see the other man in the bath, head back on a folded-up towel, a smaller towel over the lower part of his face. Iruka wasn’t sure if he was awake as his eyes were closed. Rather, one was closed, one was covered by some hair. 

Kakashi had sensed him as soon as he came near the room, or rather the wards had, but had been curious of what his actions would be. He smiled under the towel as he felt Iruka taking a few moments to watch him before moving back into the room.

Kakashi noticed he felt strangely relieved, not being sure of what he would have said to Iruka. A sarcastic comment to make him blush? Invited him to join him?

A bit later he moved to get up and slung a towel around his waist, keeping the one on his face secured. He entered the room and glanced around, nothing out of the ordinary. Iruka looked up from where he was sat with a book and a cup of tea when he came in and Kakashi noticed a blush creep on his face as the other man took in his appearance.

“How was your afternoon?” he asked the teacher as he casually moved around to collect clothes. Was it his imagination or did Iruka’s eyes follow him for a moment?

“What? Oh! Uh, good, I went around the village to explore. It was nice. How….how was yours?”

“Maa, good, just some relaxing, being a lazy person for once.”

Iruka snorted. “Your mission reports make it seem like being lazy is nothing new for you.”

“Ah, sensei, you wound me!” Kakashi said, clutching his chest, and Iruka rolled his eyes.

“You’re too old to play the innocent card, Kakashi.”

“My birthday isn’t til tomorrow, surely I’m still young enough?” he said, laughing as he headed to change in the bathroom.

When he left, Iruka pushed a cup of tea into his hands before pushing him out into the bath area. 

“Stay here for a bit before dinner,” Iruka said and returned to the room before giving him a chance to reply. He even closed the door!

Kakashi pouted but no one was around to see it. Plus, it was under his bandana, but still. Good thing he had his Icha Icha Birthday to read, he figured, pulling it out.

After some time, Iruka opened the door and stuck his head out. 

“Dinner’s here,” he said, before retreating. Kakashi couldn’t have been happier, his stomach was starting to growl. He grabbed his book and empty cup and walked in.

Two steps in, he stopped abruptly.

“Dinner” was an understatement. Yes, dinner was there, quite a spread too, as were his ninken, all of them! And some wearing…party hats? There were also decorations including balloons and streamers up in the colors of grey, blue, silver, and green.

“Happy birthday!” Iruka and his ninken shouted, and Kakashi laughed.

“What is all this?”

Iruka blushed. “I know your birthday is tomorrow, but I thought we’d celebrate it in full tonight, as we, you, won’t be somewhere like this tomorrow night.”

Kakashi looked at his pack, who were wearing goofy dog smiles and thumping their tails in anticipation.

“And all of you? How’d you know?”

“Iruka talked to us last night,” Guruko said. “And we talked to the pack.”

“How could we miss this?” Shiba said.

“Were you surprised?” Uhei asked, and Kakashi nodded.

“Yes, very!” He kneeled down and his pack swarmed him. Afterwards, they all sat down to eat. Kakashi noted that many of his favorite foods were present.

“Your ninken are to thank for that,” Iruka said, following his gaze. “I got quite a bit of information out of them after you had gone to sleep last night.”

Kakashi looked over at Pakkun, who shrugged before turning to his own food. Kakashi saw that there was not only food for Iruka and himself, but also for his ninken, and turned his gaze back to the other man.

“I couldn’t invite them to a party and not have food for them,” Iruka said. 

“That’s awfully kind,” he commented, and Iruka blushed and looked away.

“Let’s eat!” the younger man suggested, and they did.


	4. Chapter Four: Part 4

(I don't own any characters etc etc)

It was a good meal, possibly one of the best anyone in the room had had for some time. Good food, good alcohol. 

The alcohol flowed freely, after all, neither was paying for it, and neither was working tomorrow. Or due to be called out on a mission. So yeah, they partied.

Iruka was pleasantly drunk when he pulled out a nicely wrapped box and passed it to Kakashi, who cocked an eyebrow at him.

“Err…can’t have a birthday party without a gift?” Iruka said, blushing.

“Maa, sensei, you gave me a gift, and all this,” Kakashi said, waving his hand around, including at his ninken, who were gnawing on bones, resting on full bellies.

Iruka shrugged and reached for more wine. “Can’t have too many gifts, amiright? A birthday’s only once a year…”

Kakashi gave him a closed eye smile and carefully opened the box, revealing….two tacky mugs with drawings of the village of the onsen on them. He lifted one and laughed.

“This is….I mean…it’s….”

“Tacky, right?” Iruka said, laughing, and Kakashi nodded, happy to not have to be rude about it.

Iruka reached into the box and pulled out the other mug.

“I thought it would be nice to have something to remember this by, and these are tacky but useful! I wanted one too, but didn’t realize the shopkeeper was putting them together until it was too late.” He turned to his mug. “You’re coming home with me!” He said to it, and unsteadily made his way to his bag to pack it away safely, before heading to the bathroom.

Kakashi watched him go, and looked down at the hideous mug in his hand.

“It’s not that bad, really,” he said, deep in thought.

When Iruka returned, Kakashi had placed his emotional mask back on.

“Let’s use the bath, one last night?” he suggested, and Iruka nodded and began to tug off his shirt.

Kakashi was glad the bandana hid his blush. He tried to avert his eyes as Iruka shamelessly got ready, and was both happy and disappointed the other man ended up not revealing too much in the process.

Before either knew it, the dogs were inside sleeping, and the men were in the bath with more alcohol within reach.

Kakashi sighed happily and leaned his head back on a folded towel.

“This was a good weekend,” he said, and Iruka hummed in agreement.

They continued to drink and talk about random things. Kakashi felt a wicked streak coming on, and made a move.

“I wish they had a masseuse here, I’ve been carrying tension in my shoulders since my mission to Suna last month,” he said nonchalantly.

“What? That was like, five weeks ago!” Iruka cried, in shock. He looked so sad, wine really loosened him up, Kakashi noted.

Kakashi shrugged. “I only got the last of the sand out of my hair last week, really.”

Iruka tutted. “That’s too long to be tense, Kakashi-hic-san.”

Apparently alcohol also made Iruka formal, thought Kakashi.

“This is why you should go, and stay, in the hospital after missions, or at least be checked by medical nin.”

Kakashi pouted. Apparently alcohol didn’t take the teacher completely out of Iruka….

“I do?” Kakashi suggested, but Iruka wasn’t buying it.

The younger man picked up his drink and took a swig, holding it while he gestured at Kakashi.

“Oh no, everyone knows you don’t! You maybe, maybe show up, get seen, and scram as soon as their backs are turned!”

Kakashi had to admit he couldn’t argue. But the bigger concern was that this was not going where he wanted it to…

He shrugged. “You got me there. Still, doesn’t help that there’s no one here I could have had a session with to help my shoulders…”

Iruka drained his glass. “That’s just not done! Here, let me.”

“Are you sure? You’ve done so much already….”

Iruka waved his hands. “Don’t worry about it. Think of it as another birthday gift.”

Kakashi moved and Iruka got behind him and began to massage his shoulders. Kakashi let out a sigh of relief.

“Anyway, Anko’s always telling me my hands are like magic,” Iruka was saying, but Kakashi could barely hear him. He had just been looking for…something…with Iruka, though he wasn’t sure what, ever since he saw him with his clone, but this…this was amazing….

Kakashi wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol, the peace of the night and his wards buzzing happily from his own feelings, or Iruka’s hands, but he felt like butter. Happy, happy butter. Iruka was humming to himself and Kakashi felt at peace.

He only thought of about seven ways he could kill Iruka if he was an enemy nin trying to take advantage of him, because he was a genius shinobi after all. But seven was a low number for him, so he took it as a good sign.

After some time, they drifted apart.

“That was nice,” Kakashi mumbled, eyes closed.

“You’re nice,” Iruka said, as he poured more wine, and Kakashi’s eye opened and peered at him. Iruka found his glass of wine very interesting.

“Really? I’m amused,” Kakashi said.

“Well, it’s true,” Iruka said, a small smile on his face. “You’re different than what I thought, based on….”

He paused.

“My reputations?” Kakashi suggested.

Iruka gave him a wry smile. “Yes, I suppose.” He took a drink and sighed. “And your horrendous reports. Sometimes I wonder if you’re the genius everyone says.”

“Maa, sensei, maybe I write terrible reports just for you? To make you feel special?”

“I wouldn’t know, no one else will accept your reports, and word is you don’t turn them in during the earlier shifts!”

“Only for you, Iruka-kun,” Kakashi said, fluttering his eyelashes at the younger man, and Iruka laughed and pushed water towards him.

They sat in comfortable silence before getting out and dressing for bed, tumbling into it with happy sighs.

And if Kakashi woke during the night and realized one of his arms was stretched out, and that Iruka was using it as a pillow, well, he was fine with that.

More than fine, he realized.

He was also fine with waking up in the morning with a bit of a hangover and headache gnawing on his skull, as he was up before Iruka and watched as the man snored softly, his hair splayed over the pillow, one of the ninken curled up in the crook of his legs.

Clearly, the ninken approved.

Iruka woke sometime later, and stretched. 

“Kami, I’m not as young as I used to be,” he said, laughing and wincing.

“I suppose I’m not either, technically,” said Kakashi.

Iruka sat up and rubbed his eyes.

“That’s right! Today’s the day! Your actual birthday! How exciting!”

Kakashi shrugged. “We celebrated all weekend, today’s just the day, but I’m fine. Though I wouldn’t say no to breakfast.”

“What time is it?”

Kakashi checked. “About nine.”

Iruka yawned and stood. “I took the liberty of placing an order for breakfast yesterday, it should get here soon. Good food for a hangover. I don’t know about you, but I’m in need of it. Do you want to shower first?”

Kakashi accepted, and showered and changed into clothes to travel back in. Iruka was stuffing some food into his mouth when he entered the room.

“Shawy, hope you donft mind,” he said, before swallowing. “It looked too good to resist, and my stomach needed something.”

Kakashi chuckled and joined him, and they chatted over breakfast, the ninken eating as well. Kakashi noted again how thoughtful Iruka was…

Iruka stood to shower and change. When he returned, he looked embarrassed. He was holding his mission scroll.

“I forgot about this, until I reached into my pack. Um…it’s a little past ten…my mission seems to be over…”

Kakashi had, truthfully, forgotten about it. His stomach flipped.

“I…it’s not that it hasn’t been fun…and it’s been nice, really nice….but since it’s over, I should head back and turn in my report….and leave you to celebrate in peace, I’ve been in your space so much the past few days….”

“I don’t mind,” Kakashi said. “I was thinking of taking a look around the market myself, if you’d like to join me?”

Iruka blushed. “Thank you, but I don’t want to intrude….I’m sure you’ve humored me this weekend….and you’ll probably get back faster than me, plus your friends probably want to take you out…”

Kakashi watched as Iruka packed, and he stood and began to pack his own bag.

Iruka made hurried goodbyes to everyone, and left. He spent his way back to Konoha feeling embarrassed by what he said and how he acted…Kakashi could have his pick of anyone, and Iruka had just been a sap hired by his friends…a sap who got all flirty and interested and who will probably be forgotten in a moment….hopefully long before Kakashi could tell his friends about it for a good laugh at his expense..

____________

Back at the inn, Kakashi felt…alone…

His ninken swarmed him.

“Don’t be sad, boss,” Bull said.

“You’ll see him soon,” Akino said. 

“What are you talking about?” Kakashi said.

Bisuke rolled his eyes, and Shiba jumped in.

“You like him, he likes you, go be mates. We like him, and his scent, so don’t worry about us.”

Kakashi sighed. “It’s more complicated than that. I don’t even know what all this was, my friends paid him to babysit me. Or be a gigolo, knowing Genma, I’m not really even sure.”

Guruko sighed. “He was free to come, or not, and no one made him be as nice as he was. Don’t let this one go.”

With that, they disappeared, but Pakkun reappeared a moment later.

“Happy birthday, boss. Don’t be an idiot,” he said, before leaving again.

Kakashi smiled to himself softly. “Yeah, I’d have to be an idiot if I didn’t, wouldn’t I….”

_________

Kakashi was checking out, waiting for the front desk clerk to return to the desk after he was called away, with many apologies. Kakashi had waved it off, he was in no rush. He couldn’t help but overhear some of the other onsen employees though…

“Look! Isn’t that him?” a woman said, in a whisper, but loud enough for his finely tuned hearing.

“Who?” another asked.

“The one at the desk,” a third said.

“Him?”

“Yeah, I think that’s Iruka-san’s boyfriend,” the first one sighed.

“How do you know?”

“We were there when he came down to make arrangements for a special meal.”

“Oh, he was so cute about it, so concerned and specific. It made me so jealous!”

“I know, ever since he checked in we’ve all been talking about him!”

“Both of them, you mean! This one’s fine too!”

“Ugh, it’s not fair, for them to be together. Why can’t we have one of them?”

“I know! I hear they were good guests though, no crazy wild sex noises or wrecking the room like some couples on a romantic weekend away do.”

Kakashi blushed, hard. What did they really think he and Iruka had been doing?

“When I ran into Iruka-san at the market and he was buying a gift, I swooned so hard! He was just too cute, he’s so smitten.”

“Yeah yeah, love is great if you have it. Let’s finish up our work so we can go out and try to find our own hot men!”

At that, Kakashi heard them leave, just as the front desk clerk arrived again. Good timing for everyone….

______

Needless to say, it gave Kakashi much to think about on the way home. Darting from tree to tree, he replayed the weekend, the conversation between the women, and his own views of Iruka, which had changed….grown….he didn’t know what to call it!

He got home and opened his windows after resetting traps to air it out. Friends had stuffed a few birthday cards into his apartment somehow, proper shinobi that they were. He smiled to himself as he opened them and read the crazy messages. Gai’s was full of exuberant proclamations of his wonderful youth, and a notice that he was gifting him a reprieve from challenges for a few days. Kakashi would take it!

He made some tea and unpacked, putting his clothes in the hamper, books back on the bookcase. He paused when he found the book Iruka had given him.  
He paused again when he saw the mug.

Paused, and sighed.

For a genius, he sure couldn’t figure out his own thoughts as they went round and round. One minute he was sure of himself, another he was doubting, over and over.

He ended up taking a nap for an hour, blaming it on the alcohol and him being old now…older, at least, but he knew he was just mentally and emotionally weary.

He also knew something he wanted to do, and that after today he might not do it.

_________

It was just about dusk when he knocked on an unfamiliar apartment door.

Iruka’s face changed from worry to surprise to concern when he saw Kakashi. Had he come to tell Iruka off? Make fun of him?

“Oh! Kakashi…how are you? Are you okay?” Iruka blushed and his eyes darted all around. Kakashi seemed to be alone, so that was good…right? Though, no witnesses for when the copy nin exacted his revenge….who would take Naruto out for ramen once Iruka was dead, or turned missing nin?

“I’m fine, sensei, and you?” 

“Uh…good?”

The men stood in silence for a moment before Iruka remembered his manners and invited Kakashi in.

They returned to silence.

Iruka rubbed the scar on his nose. “I suppose I should apologize, in case I was too…too anything. Perhaps things got away from me?”

Kakashi put his hands in his pockets and slouched. “I wouldn’t say that. I had fun. Didn’t you?”

“I did! I did!” More silence.

“So….” Iruka said, unsure of what to say.

To his surprise, Kakashi held out a small gift bag to Iruka, who accepted it and peeked in. He saw….

A tacky mug depicting the village of the onsen.

His stomach dropped.

Kakashi was returning the mug. It had been a small gesture from Iruka, but here, now, it was a larger one from Kakashi. He didn’t want it, didn’t want anything that reminded him of his awkward birthday weekend. Of the awkward academy chuunin. Of the….

Wait, was Kakashi talking?

“Hmm? What?” Iruka asked, shaking his head.

“I was saying I liked your suggestion of having it to remember things by,” Kakashi said, and Iruka’s stomach leaped back into him, up, up, up past his stomach-shaped hole, past his heart, into his head where his blood was pounding.

Little did he know, Kakashi was experiencing similar anxiety, only held together by his trademark slouch.

“So, when I was in the market I picked up two more,” Kakashi said.

Iruka looked down at the mug in his hands. It was exactly the same as the one he had and had given Kakashi. So that meant….

“This way, we both have a matching pair.” Kakashi coughed. “And….we could maybe have tea together, sometime, or coffee….whichever…”

Iruka looked at him.

“My mission is over…” he said softly, not wanting to get his hopes up.

Kakashi nodded. “That’s right. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,” he said, recalling Iruka’s words. ”

Iruka blushed but took a step towards the older man.

“That’s right.” He looked at the mug, then back at Kakashi.

“Would you like to have some tea?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” Kakashi said, and slung an arm around Iruka’s waist, as Iruka laughed and pulled him into the kitchen to put the kettle on.


End file.
